Timeline

JUSTICE FOR I-11

June 26, 2015

JUSTICE FOR I-11

Tracking the Supreme Court case for low-income housing in Pakistan

Read more

CDA ANNOUNCES DEMOLITION PLAN

July 23, 2015

CDA ANNOUNCES DEMOLITION PLAN

CDA submits demolition plan for 43 katchi abadis in Islamadad to Islamabad High Court https://www.dawn.com/news/1190765

Read more

KATCHI ABADI RESIDENTS PROTEST

July 24, 2015

KATCHI ABADI RESIDENTS PROTEST

AWP and katchi abadi residents from over a dozen abadis organize protest against eviction plan at Islamabad Press Club https://tribune.com.pk/story/925430/right-to-shelter-slum-dwellers-protest-cda-eviction-drive

Read more

IHC ORDERS I-11 DEMOLITION

July 27, 2015

IHC ORDERS I-11 DEMOLITION

One-member bench of Islamabad High Court (consisting of Justice Shaukat Siddiqui) directs CDA to commence operation against I-11 katchi abadi. https://tribune.com.pk/story/925967/forced-evictions-cda-says-action-against-slums-from-monday

Read more

RESIDENTS THWART CDA EVICTION

July 27, 2015

RESIDENTS THWART CDA EVICTION

CDA makes first operation attempt to evict I-11 katchi abadi, thwarted by residents’ mobilization. https://www.dawn.com/news/1196873

Read more

AWP CHALLENGES EVICTION

July 27, 2015

Awami Workers Party submits application to Supreme Court against Islamabad High Court orders to demolish katchi abadis.

Read more

RESIDENTS THWART SECOND EVICTION ATTEMPT

July 29, 2015

RESIDENTS THWART SECOND EVICTION ATTEMPT

CDA undertakes second attempt to evict I-11 katchi abadi, thwarted again by residents and AWP activists. https://archive.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/07/30/i-11-slum-dwellers-thwart-cda-with-love-offer-talks-flowers/

Read more

CDA DEMOLITION OPERATION BEGINS

July 30, 2015

CDA, Rangers undertake massive operation at I-11 katchi abadi, demolish one third of settlement, arrest dozens including AWP workers, FIRs under Anti-Terrorist Act registered against 1000s of abadi residents, over 15,000 residents made homeless overnight. https://www.dawn.com/news/1197351

Read more

I-11 KATCHI ABADI DESTROYED

July 31, 2015

I-11 KATCHI ABADI DESTROYED

CDA demolishes remainder of I-11 katchi abadi https://tribune.com.pk/story/930700/i-11-slum-another-750-houses-flattened

Read more

SUPREME COURT PETITION

August 1, 2015

SUPREME COURT PETITION

Displaced residents of I-11, along with Awami Workers Party, file a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court challenging the evictions and demanding the government provide low-income housing. The petitioners are represented in court by AWP President Advocate Abid Hassan Minto.https://www.dawn.com/news/1197925 Full petition text    

Read more

AWP HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE

August 2, 2015

AWP HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE

WP President Abid Hassan Minto and AWP Chairman Fanoos Gujjar hold press conference to demand an end to the ongoing eviction operation in Islamabad [news link]

Read more

INTERIOR MINISTER PRAISES DEMOLITION

August 3, 2015

INTERIOR MINISTER PRAISES DEMOLITION

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar congratulates police on successful operation and orders its continuation against rest of Islamabad’s katchi abadis. [news link]

Read more

PROTEST CAMP

August 9, 2015

PROTEST CAMP

AWP sets up protest camp in front of National Press Club to demand I-11 katchi abadi resettlement and halt to evictions in Islamabad

Read more

SENATE CONDEMNS OPERATION

August 10, 2015

SENATE CONDEMNS OPERATION

Senate passes a resolution condemning the CDA’s strategy of evicting I-11 residents and calls for govt to facilitate their rehabilitation [news link]

Read more

COUNTRYWIDE DAY OF ACTION

August 12, 2015

COUNTRYWIDE DAY OF ACTION

AWP organizes countrywide Day of Action against forced evictions and to demand I-11 resettlement. AWP, and Katchi Abadi Alliance hold press conference of katchi abadi residents to demand an end to the operation.[news link]

Read more

KATCHI ABADI PROTEST

August 25, 2015

KATCHI ABADI PROTEST

AWP & World Minorities Alliance protest outside Islamabad Press Club against forced evictions [news link]

Read more

SC ORDERS EVICTION HALT

August 26, 2015

SC ORDERS EVICTION HALT

Supreme Court 3-member bench headed by Chief Justice Jawwad Khawaja hears AWP petition against katchi abadi evictions, orders a halt to the eviction operation in Islamabad, orders the CDA and police to provide a report on katchi abadis in Islamabad and the basis for their impending demolition [news link]

Read more

KATCHI ABADI SEMINAR

August 27, 2015

KATCHI ABADI SEMINAR

All Pakistan Alliance for Katchi Abadis holds seminar on low-income housing policy.[news link]

Read more

SC REPRIMANDS CDA

August 31, 2015

SC REPRIMANDS CDA

Supreme Court notes that the State ‘cannot possibly ignore its obligation to enforce fundamental rights or to act in accordance with the principles of policy set out in Article 38(d) related to housing/shelter for citizens’ and orders federal, provincial governments + CDA to prepare proposals to that effect. SC reprimands police and CDA officials for the brutality of the I-11 katchi abadi operation, asks where are all the terrorists that they were boasting about capturing. Housing expert Tasneem Siddiqui appears in court and is appointed amicus curae to advise CDA and government on fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities to provide low-income housing. SC orders Law…

Read more

TASNEEM SIDDIQUI SUBMITS REPORT

September 7, 2015

TASNEEM SIDDIQUI SUBMITS REPORT

Tasneem Siddiqui and LJCP submit their reports to the Supreme Court. Tasneem Siddiqui calls for the resettlement of the I-11 katchi abadi residents as a precedent against future forced evictions, the regularization of existing katchi abadis in Islamabad, the allotment of land for low-income housing and the creation of a directorate in CDA for the management of katchi abadis…

Read more

SC ASKS GOVT TO SUBMIT DETAILS ON LOW-INCOME HOUSING

September 7, 2015

SC ASKS GOVT TO SUBMIT DETAILS ON LOW-INCOME HOUSING

Supreme Court asks federal and provincial governments to submit budgetary allocations and expenditure on low-income housing and katchi abadis for the last 14 years, along with concrete plans with dateline for achieving the objective of ensuring low-cost housing. [news link]

Read more

SC DEMANDS “CONCRETE PLANS

September 22, 2015

SC DEMANDS “CONCRETE PLANS

Supreme Court redirects Federation, Provinces and CDA to come forth with ‘concrete and practicable plans to do in line with what they are required by the Constitution to do’ on the fundamental right to housing of citizens. [news link]

Read more

AWP PROTEST

October 15, 2015

AWP PROTEST

AWP and katchi abadi residents hold protest against CDA harassment. [news link]

Read more

LOCAL GOVT ELECTION VICTORIES

November 30, 2015

LOCAL GOVT ELECTION VICTORIES

Two displaced residents from I-11 katchi abadi win local govt councilor seats for I-11 under Awami Workers Party ticket.

Read more

SC REPRIMANDS GOVT & CDA FOR NEGLIGENCE

December 3, 2015

Supreme Court reprimands governments and CDA for their negligence on the issue and calls upon the Attorney General, Chairman CDA, and secretaries of Housing of all provinces to appear in person in the next hearing with concrete policies/recommendations

Read more

CDA’S RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY

December 8, 2015

CDA’S RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY

In an official response to the Supreme Court, the CDA asserts that Christian katchi abadis in Islamabad threaten Muslim majority! [news link]

Read more

MURAL PAINTING IN I-11 ABADI

January 9, 2016

MURAL PAINTING IN I-11 ABADI

AWP and displaced residents of I-11 katchi abadi paint mural in I-11 to highlight the movement for low-income housing and the case for resettlement of evicted people.[news link]

Read more

SEMINAR ON LOW-INCOME HOUSING

January 11, 2016

SEMINAR ON LOW-INCOME HOUSING

Awami Workers Party and All Pakistan Katchi Abadi Alliance holds a seminar at the National Press Club on low-income housing and the fundmental right to shelter, featuring architect and urban planning expert Arif Hasan, human rights activist IA Rehman, AWP chairman Fanoos Gujjar and AWP Punjab president Aasim Sajjad Akhtar.[news link]

Read more

NO MORE EVICTIONS

January 13, 2016

NO MORE EVICTIONS

Federal Government submits report of Expert Working Group to Supreme Court on katchi abadis and low-income housing, as part of an effort to evolve an effective national policy on rehabilitation of katchi abadis and low-income housing in pursuance of Supreme Court orders. The report of the EWG states explicitly that there shall be no further evictions of katchi abadi residents until they are relocated as per resettlement plans. It further states that all government housing schemes will have adequate plots for low-income people at affordable prices. Supreme Court commends government for recognizing its constitutional obligations, calls on it to translate promises into reality, and provide a timeline for implementation.

Read more

MURAL PAINTING IN G-7 ABADI

January 31, 2016

MURAL PAINTING IN G-7 ABADI

AWP and residents of Iqbal Town katchi abadi in G-7 paint mural in G-7 to highlight the movement for low-income housing and the rights of katchi abadi residents.[news link]

Read more

YET AGAIN

February 11, 2016

YET AGAIN

Supreme Court reprimands the government for being unable to finalize the policy on katchi abadis and low income housing for many months Supreme Court says that ‘it is the constitutional obligation of the State without any exception to provide shelter to.. the poor and the shelterless’ SC says that ‘civic agencies, including CDA, DHA and the private sector has launched many housing schemes and many have been completed but no reasonable percentage in such housing schemes has been provided for low-cost and social housing while rich and affluent are doled out plots for a luxurious life. This kind of demarcation and discrimination also poses a potential threat to the State’. SC directs governments to prepare a bill for provision of inexpensive, low cost housing and social housing for the inhabitants of slum areas and shelterless people to be tabled before the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies, with a fixed timeframe and tentative budget. SC further directs the government to appoint a commission consisting…

Read more

PROTEST AT SABZI MANDI

April 18, 2016

PROTEST AT SABZI MANDI

Displaced I-11 residents along with AWP hold protest at sabzi mandi against CDA’s refusal to implement Supreme Court orders regarding katchi abadis and low-income housing

Read more